[Betty]

We had camping failure this weekend. First, on the way to Anza Borrego (Blair
Valley to be specific), the transmission seemed to lose the gear it was in. We pulled over and it was fine. But the check engine light came on. According the manual, the light is not imenent danger unless it's blinking - see if what it was happens again or if the light just goes off. We check all the fluid levels and then continue on our way.

We get to camp and realize our friends may have trouble finding us - but start to set up camp. Where's the directions to the tent? Not in the box. Hmmm... We've set this tent up once before... do we remember. Apparently not. In the process of trying to set it up, I break a little plastic connector piece and we can't use the tent now.

Determined, we decide we'll sleep on a tarp and still use the cot and air mattress. We'll see how it goes if we stay the whole 4 days or leave in the morning when our friends do.

Our friends finally find us, after dark - which was pretty amazing. They bring a new telescope to see the lunar crash thing on Friday morning but can't get it in focus... but still think they are seeing something... I gave up and went back to watching the fire. He's got a new girlfriend that I don't really know and I didn't want to totally insult her/them by saying they weren't seeing anything. It was put together in the dark - I almost wonder if something was on backwards or something.

Anyway - Lot's of fun was had... staying up into the wee hours and chattikng... and in the morning we break camp and think - we could get more wood and camp at another spot. Hmmm... and just as we're deciding to do that, the transmission thing happens again.

sigh.

So - we came home just to be safe. Didn't want to be caught in the desert without a working transmission.

Feel sort of like I wasted a vacation day - but that didn't stop me from not going to work today (not a normal workday) to make it up.

Brought the vehicle to the dealership because it looks like it may be a power train warranty thing - which is great if so. But they "don't have any tranny guys in today" so I must wait until Monday at least and most likely several days before I get it back.